Healthy Not Hungry Rach

For those of you who follow us on Instagram, you’ll no doubt know that we’re big fans of the platform.
The app is home to so many talented people sharing their creative endeavours and posting content that really resonates with the foodie community. Whether you’re after a unique recipe, inspiration for your next night out or you simply want to share that cute snap of your feline friend – there really is something for everyone.

In a our new blog feature ‘In the Spotlight’ we want to share some of our favourite local – and not so local – Instagram accounts and spread a little love for our fellow creators…

In this post we talk with Exeter’s healthynothungry_rach and find out more about her healthy, plant-based recipes.

Recipe developer Rachel Ridds posts some of the prettiest photos of food we’ve seen taken from a phone.
I mean, talk about gorgeous vibrant colours! Her plant-based healthy eats always provide inspiration for dinner and her colourful raw vegan “cheesecake” has to be one of the more impressive recipes we’ve tried (and failed) to recreate at home.

Rachel – howlonghaveyoubeenusingInstagram?

20 months now, it started as a food diary to track how I felt after eating certain foods whilst dealing with digestion problems but it has quickly turned into a way to document my culinary experiments.

Howwouldyoudescribeyourstyleofcooking?

I like to cook mainly plant based healthy food for digestive health reasons, I love making healthy food look really appealing, after all, we eat with our eyes first!

I also really love Asian flavours and take inspiration from my previous travels. I attended a fantastic Thai cooking school in Chiang Mai a couple of years ago, which has given me the foundation for creating many healthy, flavoursome dishes.

A lot of what I eat is influenced by the fantastic producers in Exeter & the surrounding areas. Shillingford Organics fruit & veg stall always gets me excited about what I’m going to cook. When basil is really fragrant I make pesto in bulk to freeze down for easy weeknight meals, when pumpkins are in season I put them in everything – soups, flapjack, fritata. Organic colourful veggies literally make everything taste good!

Whatcamera/phonedoyouuseto takeyourphotos?

I use a Samsung galaxy S6 currently.

Doyouhaveanytipsformakinghealthyeatingmoreexciting?

Flavour! Throw in as many fresh herbs and dried spices as you can. I also believe no food should be off limits. If I fancy a pizza, instead of greasy takeaways I make my own pizza bases from chickpea flour & almond milk and I add in whatever veggies I can. Grated courgette or carrot works really well, so does cooked & mashed sweet potato. I cook the mix, spread over baking paper, then load with sauce, fresh veggies & torn mozzarella and cook again, then hey presto you have a low fat meal that contains loads of fibre, protein & a good portion of you daily veg intake! It’s also really easy to make and totally delicious.

Whataresome ofyourfavourite IG accountsrightnow?

@deliciouslyella – Her first book marked the end of crash diets for me. I rarely follow recipes, but I love flicking through cook books for inspiration and Ella’s is one of my favourites.

@samanthahadadi – Her account is stunning and full of delicious sweet-but-healthy treats. She has a really positive attitude and always responds to everyone’s comments, despite being a busy Mum of 4 boys.

@thedevonfoodie – For fab inspiration on the best places to eat out in the area, my husband & I love trying new restaurants! (Aw thank you Rachel!)

@unconventionalbaker – A beautiful page full of delicious but wholesome plant-based desserts, as well as stunning photography.

@thefashionbugblog – For effortless daily style inspiration – I love fashion just as much as food!